1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a monitoring apparatus, a management method and program therefor, a management apparatus, and a management method and program therefor, and more particularly, to a plurality of monitoring apparatuses that monitor a plurality of peripheral apparatuses, a management apparatus that centrally manages the monitoring apparatuses, a management method and management program executed by each of the monitoring apparatuses, and a management method and management program executed by the management apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, as a method of remotely monitoring a variety of computer apparatuses including office equipment such as image forming apparatuses, a technique is known in which a monitoring apparatus is installed in a network to which computer apparatuses are connected, the computer apparatuses are monitored by the monitoring apparatus via the network, and information on monitoring results is transferred from the monitoring apparatus to a management server.
Further, a technique is known in which a request for response is made to a terminal apparatus being utilized on the user's side from a management server, and the management server, upon receiving the response from the terminal apparatus, confirms that the terminal apparatus itself or a transmission function to a telephone line at the terminal apparatus is functioning properly (for example, refer to Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 04-056560).
However, in the conventional art described in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 04-056560, the management server requires two data transfers, i.e., the transmission of the request for response and the reception of that response. Moreover, if a plurality of monitoring apparatuses exist, the management server must perform these two data transfers for every such monitoring apparatus.
Further, when the management server transmits a response request to a plurality of monitoring apparatuses, whether it does so all at a time or at respective different times, in either case, the management server must check for a response at every monitoring apparatus.
Accordingly, the conventional art imposes a very heavy processing load upon the management server when monitoring a plurality of monitoring apparatuses.